The Wall Could Prevent Real Foreign Threats From Entering U.S.

When we talk about illegal immigration and President Trump’s badly-needed wall across the southern border, we usually focus on Central American gangs, the punishing effect these hordes of immigrants have on our economy, the jobs they take from entry-level citizens, and, perhaps to a much lighter degree – the specter of terrorism.

But some journalists, including the Wall Street Journal’s Mary O’Grady, have been warning that there could be real foreign threats entering our country from the south. In several columns, O’Grady has written about Russia’s increased presence in Latin America – a presence that one U.S. military commander said “could eventually transition from a regional spoiler to a critical threat to the U.S. homeland.”

You would think, given the Democrats’ obsession with Russia (an obsession that was utterly absent prior to the 2016 election, mind you) would be all over this emerging threat. You would think they would be all for any security measures that would keep Russia mercenaries from, you know, crossing into Texas and perhaps launching some form of terrorist attack on our country. But apparently the Russian threat only matters when it’s hacked emails and a defeated Hillary Clinton.

It’s worth noting that O’Grady has also written ominously about Iran’s penetration into Latin America, which can be seen in the growing number of mosques and Muslim cultural centers seen throughout the region. And you can decide for yourself what kind of threat THAT might bring across our porous border.

$5 billion is a lot of money to any reasonable individual, but it’s a drop in the bucket when it comes to our federal budget. Democrats are certainly not withholding this money because of some sudden awareness of fiscal responsibility. They are withholding solely because they want to keep Trump from scoring what would be seen as a major legislative victory. In doing so, they are actively and purposely leaving our country open to threats that could make 9/11 look like a children’s picnic in the park.

It is perhaps understandable that charity-minded Americans retch at the thought of putting up a wall. It seems like a betrayal of some amorphous American “spirit,” best portrayed by the Statue of Liberty.

But the fact is that America cannot be that shining beacon on a hill if we allow ourselves to go down the path Europe took during the refugee crisis. Eventually, you help so much that you need help yourself. The U.S. cannot do the world any good if we allow ourselves to be brought down by a cultural (or violent) invasion. We must remain strong. That is how we best help the world’s “huddled masses.”